Two of the biggest issues faced by soldiers and combat veterans are stress and mental health. At Walter Reed Hospital, doctors have enlisted psychiatric service dogs to help treat soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. What role does man's best friend play in healing? What can be done to catch signs of an impending breakdown before it's too late? Guest host Sara Terry gets an update on yesterday's shootings at Fort Hood, looks at the role stress might have played and learns about the evolving role of psychiatric service dogs.

FROM THIS EPISODE

Two of the biggest issues faced by soldiers and combat veterans are stress and mental health. Yesterday's shooting suspect at Fort Hood, a trained army psychiatrist,
was reportedly suffering from some of the same stresses he was trained
to treat. At Walter Reed Hospital, doctors have enlisted psychiatric service dogs to help treat soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. What role does man's best friend play in healing? What can be done to catch signs of an impending breakdown before it's too late? Guest host Sara Terry gets an update on yesterday's shootings at Fort Hood, looks at the role stress might have played and learns about
the evolving role of psychiatric service dogs.

Banner image: Jesus Bocanegra, 24, drinks water to wash down one of four anti-depression and anxiety drugs he takes in McAllen, Texas. Bocanegra has been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, a result of his service in Iraq. Photo: Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

Yesterday's shooting at Fort Hood was the most violent in history on a US military base, with 13 people confirmed dead and dozens more injured. With stress disorders taking an increasing toll in the military and thousands of combat veterans struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, mental health has become one of the most important issues facing soldiers today. For some, help may be coming from a surprising place, dogs that are trained to deal with PTSD and other problems. They're also playing a critical role on the battlefront. So how much can man's best friend do? What are the limits of canine therapy?

Little is known about what triggered yesterday's deadly shooting spree at Fort Hood military base. The suspected shooter is an Army psychiatrist who had complained of harassment for being a Muslim and was reportedly desperately trying to avoid upcoming deployment to a war zone. The case of Major Nidal Malik Hassan has raised questions about the military's ability to deal with mental health issues. Lawrence Korb of the Center for American Progress was Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Administration.

Yesterday’s shooting at Fort Hood left thirteen dead and dozens wounded. The suspect in the killings is Major Nadal Malik Hasan, who reportedly had complained of harassment for being a Muslim and had hired a lawyer to help get him out of the military. Sig Christenson has been covering the story for the San Antonio Express-News.